Helping Families Find a Way Forwards
When you need a family and divorce lawyer in Maryland or Washington DC, you want a highly skilled attorney to help you. The Law Office of Debra Oliver aggressively advocates for our clients’ interests and rights in all family law matters.
Our firm will handle your child custody matter with the utmost care, consideration and urgency the case deserves. As a seasoned divorce attorney, Debra Oliver is experienced in representing clients in complex divorce matters.
We provide legal advice and representation in all areas pertaining to Maryland and Washington DC divorce and family law matters including but not limited to:
- Prenuptial agreements
- Divorce and separation
- Alimony
- Marital settlement agreements
- Property division, the division of marital assets, maintenance and support
- Paternity
- Custody and visitation
- Child support
- Interstate child support
- Military divorces involving Maryland and/Washington DC residents
- Third-Party custody disputes
- Step-parent adoptions
- Interstate custody disputes
- Relocation child custody cases
- Mediation services
- Appeals to the Court of Special Appeals and Court of Appeals of Maryland/Washington DC
As a highly-skilled and certified mediator, attorney Debra Oliver, often mediates cases pertaining to child custody, as well as marital property. This solution-orientated type of negotiation helps clients’ reclaim control over their family’s outcome instead of relying on a judge to make life altering decisions regarding your family’s wellbeing. We are able to structure a marital separation agreement with all points important to you. This out-of-court resolution focuses on a forward-looking approach, saving clients money and time so they can move on with their lives and build a positive future for their families.
Who Will Advocate for My Child’s Best Interest in My Custody Case?
A judge will use his/her discretion to appoint a Best Interest Attorney (BIA) to represent a minor child(ren) in a case where:
1) One of the parties has made a request to the court;
2) There is a heightened level of conflict involved in the matter;
3) The situation involves inappropriate adult influence or manipulation;
4) Past or current child abuse or neglect exits;
5) There is past or current mental health problems of the child or within the parties exists;
6) There are special physical, education, or mental health needs of the child that require investigation or advocacy;
7) Matters involve actual or perceived threatened family violence;
8) Alcohol or other substance abuse exists by one of the parties;
9) There exists a consideration of terminating or suspending a parent’s access or awarding custody to a non-parent;
10) Parties assert a relocation issue which substantially limits the amount of time the child(ren) has with other siblings, the other parent, or both, or
11) Any other factors that the court considers in the interest of justice.
If you answer “yes” to one or more of the above reasons that a judge may appoint a BIA then you should consider whether you should ask the court to appoint a counselor for the child(ren).